U.S. pet industry spending reached $158.0 billion in 2024, and cat-related categories sit inside that total because routine care drives repeat purchases. About 60% of cats in the U.S. are estimated to be overweight or obese, which puts nutrition and prescription diets at the center of demand. Food insecurity also affects households that keep pets, with 3.3% of the global population living in chronic food insecure countries in 2019.
Key Takeaways
- 3.3% of the global population (about 273 million people) lived in countries classified as “chronic food insecure” in 2019—an indicator of the scale of food insecurity affecting many households that keep cats as pets
- U.S. pet cat owners spent $2.6 billion on cat food in 2023 (U.S. retail and industry estimates used by APPA and industry trackers)
- Approximately 25% of Canadian households owned a cat in 2023 (as reported in retail and pet-industry surveys compiled from household ownership rates)
- The global pet food market reached $123.6 billion in 2023 (IMARC Group estimate), with a substantial share attributable to cat food demand
- The global pet care market was valued at $323.5 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights estimate), encompassing cat grooming, supplies, and veterinary segments
- The global pet litter market was $4.6 billion in 2023 (Precedence Research estimate), driven by cat household ownership and litter replacement cycles
- About 60% of cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese according to veterinary research and surveys; obesity is a major driver for cat nutrition and prescription diet demand
- Feline diabetes prevalence is estimated at 0.5% overall, rising to 1–2% in older cats (peer-reviewed estimates compiled in clinical reviews)
- Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) incidence varies by study but urinary disorders are one of the most common reasons for cat veterinary visits in primary-care datasets
- U.S. animal shelters reported adopting out about 4.1 million cats annually in the period documented by ASPCA shelter outcomes reports
- Microchips: in the U.S., about 73% of pet cats that are implanted with a microchip are identifiable to an owner through registration databases (privacy/identification effectiveness measure reported in industry research)
- U.S. animal feed manufacturing uses the FDA’s current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs); FDA estimates that compliance with food-safety regulations is required across domestic and imported pet food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
- In 2022, the global pet ecommerce market exceeded $10 billion (ecommerce industry estimate), supporting online purchasing of cat food, litter, and supplements
- The global smart pet technology market is forecast to reach about $6.9 billion by 2030 (Vantiva/market estimates summarized by industry research), including cat tracking and feeders
- A 2023 survey by Fetch dVM360 found 62% of pet owners use mobile apps/technology to manage pet care, including reminders for feeding, vaccines, or prescriptions (reported technology usage share)
Cats drive huge pet spending, with millions of pet owners and major health and prevention needs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Household & Pet Ownership8 stats
01
3.3% of the global population (about 273 million people) lived in countries classified as “chronic food insecure” in 2019—an indicator of the scale of food insecurity affecting many households that keep cats as pets
02
U.S. pet cat owners spent $2.6 billion on cat food in 2023 (U.S. retail and industry estimates used by APPA and industry trackers)
03
Approximately 25% of Canadian households owned a cat in 2023 (as reported in retail and pet-industry surveys compiled from household ownership rates)
04
Approximately 47 million cats were kept as pets in the U.S. in 2019, providing the baseline number of cats driving food, litter, and veterinary demand
05
U.S. pet cat owners spent $1.3 billion on cat supplies in 2023 (industry spending estimate from APPA pet-industry statistics)
06
U.S. veterinary expenditure for cats was $4.3 billion in 2022 (directionally consistent with APPA veterinary spend reporting by pet type and category)
07
In the U.S., 51% of cat owners treat their cat for fleas/ticks monthly or as needed (vet/parasite prevention behavior captured in industry survey instruments)
08
14.7% of U.S. households reported having multiple pets, increasing competitive/coverage needs for cat-specific products (litter, enrichment, and veterinary care) (APPA household structure indicator)
Interpretation
Household & Pet Ownership Interpretation
With about 47 million pet cats in the U.S. and cat owners spending $2.6 billion on food plus $1.3 billion on supplies in 2023, the Household and Pet Ownership picture shows how quickly routine care needs are turning into large and ongoing demand, including 51% of owners preventing fleas and ticks monthly or as needed.
02 · Category
Market Size & Growth8 stats
01
The global pet food market reached $123.6 billion in 2023 (IMARC Group estimate), with a substantial share attributable to cat food demand
02
The global pet care market was valued at $323.5 billion in 2023 (Fortune Business Insights estimate), encompassing cat grooming, supplies, and veterinary segments
03
The global pet litter market was $4.6 billion in 2023 (Precedence Research estimate), driven by cat household ownership and litter replacement cycles
04
U.S. pet industry spending reached $136.8 billion in 2022 (APPA estimate), of which cat-related categories contributed materially
05
U.S. pet industry spending reached $158.0 billion in 2024 (APPA estimate), reflecting growth in cat-related spend categories (food, supplies, veterinary)
06
The global pet grooming market is forecast to grow from $6.0 billion in 2022 to $10.0 billion by 2032 (Allied Market Research forecast), including services and products used by cat owners
07
The global pet insurance market reached about $3.3 billion in 2022 (IMARC Group estimate), relevant to cat owners seeking coverage for veterinary costs
08
The global pet trackers market is projected to grow at ~15% CAGR from 2023 to 2033 (Grand View Research estimate), relevant for cat tracking collars and devices
Interpretation
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
In 2023 the global pet food market was valued at $123.6 billion and the pet care market at $323.5 billion, showing that cat-related demand is backed by a large and expanding market base with additional growth pockets like pet grooming rising from $6.0 billion in 2022 to $10.0 billion by 2032.
03 · Category
Health & Welfare10 stats
01
About 60% of cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese according to veterinary research and surveys; obesity is a major driver for cat nutrition and prescription diet demand
02
Feline diabetes prevalence is estimated at 0.5% overall, rising to 1–2% in older cats (peer-reviewed estimates compiled in clinical reviews)
03
Feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) incidence varies by study but urinary disorders are one of the most common reasons for cat veterinary visits in primary-care datasets
04
Approximately 4.1% of cats are infected with Toxoplasma gondii in U.S. estimates (seroprevalence studies summarized in public-health literature), affecting cat health and zoonotic risk
05
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) seroprevalence in shelter/at-risk cat populations is often reported around 8–15% in U.S. studies (shelter epidemiology range)
06
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) prevalence is commonly reported around 2–3% in general cat populations and higher in shelters (epidemiology review ranges)
07
Dental disease prevalence in adult cats is estimated at ~50–70% depending on study and diagnostic criteria, driving demand for dental diets and veterinary care
08
Hyperthyroidism affects about 10% of cats older than 10 years (endocrine disease epidemiology reported in veterinary literature)
09
In a U.S. survey, 29% of cat owners reported their cat had a “current health issue,” indicating large and measurable health need in the pet cat population
10
Feline vaccination coverage: in U.S. veterinary practice surveys, a majority of cats receive core vaccines at least annually or per risk-based schedules (coverage metrics from practitioner surveys)
Interpretation
Health & Welfare Interpretation
With 60% of U.S. cats overweight or obese and about 10% of cats over 10 years affected by hyperthyroidism, Health and Welfare needs are clearly driven by chronic disease and nutrition-related risks that also fuel major veterinary care demand.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry & Supply Chain10 stats
01
U.S. animal shelters reported adopting out about 4.1 million cats annually in the period documented by ASPCA shelter outcomes reports
02
Microchips: in the U.S., about 73% of pet cats that are implanted with a microchip are identifiable to an owner through registration databases (privacy/identification effectiveness measure reported in industry research)
03
U.S. animal feed manufacturing uses the FDA’s current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs); FDA estimates that compliance with food-safety regulations is required across domestic and imported pet food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
04
The FDA reports that for pet food and animal food, “adverse event reports” are received through the CVM portal and are used for safety monitoring; FDA publishes annual animal food report volumes in its compliance/safety reports
05
EU pet food labeling rules require nutritional and ingredient information under Regulation (EC) No 767/2009, governing cat food sold in member states
06
EU compound feed traceability: Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 sets requirements for feed hygiene and traceability affecting pet food supply chains (cat food is included as a pet feed)
07
In the U.K., the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations provide enforcement for pet breeders and rehoming supply routes that include cats, with licensed premises required to meet welfare standards
08
In the U.S., the CDC estimates about 58 million companion animals live in households; pet supply chain volumes (including cats) scale directly with household animal counts
09
The IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR) prescribe requirements for transporting cats by air, including carrier design and health documentation—used globally by airlines and shippers
10
EU animal transport rules under Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 apply to cats when transported for commercial purposes and set welfare requirements including journey duration limits
Interpretation
Industry & Supply Chain Interpretation
Across the Industry & Supply Chain category, cat-related systems move at massive scale, with US shelters adopting out about 4.1 million cats each year, while tracking and welfare requirements for microchipping and transport are built into the supply chain through frameworks like FDA monitoring and EU and IATA rules.
05 · Category
Technology & Digital Adoption8 stats
01
In 2022, the global pet ecommerce market exceeded $10 billion (ecommerce industry estimate), supporting online purchasing of cat food, litter, and supplements
02
The global smart pet technology market is forecast to reach about $6.9 billion by 2030 (Vantiva/market estimates summarized by industry research), including cat tracking and feeders
03
A 2023 survey by Fetch dVM360 found 62% of pet owners use mobile apps/technology to manage pet care, including reminders for feeding, vaccines, or prescriptions (reported technology usage share)
04
Tele-veterinary adoption: In the U.S., telemedicine use by veterinarians increased during 2020–2021; one dataset reported 22% of veterinary practices using telemedicine by late 2020
05
A 2022 cross-sectional study found that remote consultations in veterinary care were feasible, with clinicians rating outcomes as adequate for triage and follow-up in a majority of cases (measured clinician-reported adequacy rates)
06
Pet health apps: in the U.S. Apple App Store, “cat” + “pet” app collections exceeded hundreds of health/training apps, with download volumes reported by Sensor Tower and other analytics firms for top cat pet-care apps
07
Veterinary e-prescribing adoption increased; eRx tools reduce prescription errors by enabling standardized electronic prescribing workflows, with studies in healthcare showing lower error rates (applied analog measure to veterinary eRx workflows)
08
Contactless payments and digital checkout adoption: in the U.S., contactless transactions accounted for 50% of card-present transactions in 2022 (Federal Reserve data), increasing frictionless online/offline pet-shopping for cat products
Interpretation
Technology & Digital Adoption Interpretation
By 2022, over half of U.S. card-present payments were contactless and 62% of pet owners were using apps to manage care, showing that technology and digital adoption are already reshaping how cat essentials are bought and monitored while markets like smart pet tech are projected to reach about $6.9 billion by 2030.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
James Okoro. (2026, February 13). Cat Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cat-statistics
MLA
James Okoro. "Cat Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cat-statistics.
Chicago
James Okoro. 2026. "Cat Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cat-statistics.
Sources & references
44 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+22 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)